Method of making ring binder structure



April 23, 194 J. SCHADE 2,399,062

v METHOD OF MAKING RING BINDER STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 20; 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ub/r/v dc/mzyz April 23, 1946. J. SCHADE METHOD OF MAKING RING BINDER STRUCTURE Fild Dec. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Joly/v Jew/12w ATTOR Ys Patented Apr. 23, 1946 METHoD joEMAKmG RINGZFBINDER STRUCTURE I a John Schade,' Holyoke,- Mas s ;as sign or-=i;o N a tional'Blank Book Company, Holyoke,--Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicatidnDecember 20, 194a seria1 No. 514-2922 6 Claims. (011140-88) 7 Thlsinve'ntionrelates to an improved method bf"'makingthe"prongand toggleframestructure of loose leaf ring binders. e v

@Inmy companionapplication, Serial Number l4;92 '0, Patent No. 2,368,730; patented Feb. 6; 1945, I have disclosed amethod for which'the present is in some'respect an alternative. One of 'the objects of the present method is to'permitthe use of 'variousforms oftoggleconnectidn while retainin'gm any or "the advantageous; "*"feat'u'res of'my"other method. "Other an'd'fur- "f" their objects will be "made apparent the 'folflowingspecificationand claims.

In the accompanying" drawings which illus- Ltrate "onema'nner of carrying'out themethod,

1 shows the'manner of as'semblingthe "f ring forming elements on one of the two support- 'ing frame members. which are included in the final structure; and'welding their intersection;

Fig. 2 shows some of the assembled and welded parts carried throughthe firstring'shaping step;

Fig. 3 is like Fig.'2'with'a second shaping'step findic'a'ted;

'Fig. 4 is like Fig. 3 with a third shaping step gindic'ated; V

f jFig. 5is an end'vlew ofFig. 4; -Fig. '6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the "assembly and shaping of parts'reversed as "A" in making the other frame member;

Fig; '7'is an end view of Fig. 6;

Fig. '8 isa view of both frame members similar to Figs. 4 and 6 but showing an additional jptlonalshaping' step; v

Fig. 9 is aperspectiv'e view showing the frame arts "ready to be assembled into the spring j'Fig. 10 isfa planf'view of the assembled ring binder:nierbl'iariism including the 'spring' plate i Figs. 1'1; and 12 are end views respectively -showingthe' rings closed and open; and -Fig.- 13 indicates a modified arrangement of i-method steps. v v

ln carrying "out'iny method as'illu'strated in he drawings, a wire ID of indefinitelength is stances intermittently in the direction of the fanew infFig.'-'-1"and succeeding figures; While the' 'wir'e 10 1s 'at'restat a-station A, the 'end'porions "are pair of wires II and I! of indefinite length" ar' -advanced, as shown in dotted 'lines n' Fig. -1,' across' and above'tlie wire l0 at right" angles'the're'with -The c'ros's wires may be"positioned singly or in" groups 'of'any-desirednumbe; but the paired reIatlon shoWn is "preferred. Thewires l l and l-l ar'eadvance'd so as to carry admittance equal cli'stances beyond' the wire" l 0 as at l3} The wires and I2 are then welded to wire 10 at their points 'of intersection and cut at points; M 'and l5 to leave their end portions I6 and I"! welded to the wire as indicated at [8.

each period of rest or wire Ill at station A, or at selected periods'of rest, a pair of cross Wires is advancedinto position across the wire l0 welded thereto andcut as described. At station B or thefimmediatelysubsequent station C (Fig. 2), or' partly at Band partly at-C, the longer extending portions of the elements l6 and I! are bent into a general arcuate shape, as best shown at 20 in Fig. 5, to form the paper receiv- 20 ing prongs of the binder mechanism. The short extending portions 2 l, which'are to form one element of thetogglejare left straight. At a subsequent station D the free ends of portions 20 of members l6 and I! are die-cut or otherwise formed toa vertical wedge shape 22 and a verti cal V-shaped recess 23,respectively, as shown in Fig. 3.; At a subsequent station E, Fig. 4, the free ends of portions 2I' are both given a horizontal wedge shape as at 25.

In a similarmanh'er as'indicated, a second wire 38 is intermittentlyadvanced, in parallel relation with wire [0, past stationsA', B, C, D and E as shown inFig. 6. The operations at the several stations'are the same as those previously described'ex'cept that the relative position of the long and short portions 36 and 31 cut from the length 3| and 32' and welded (as at 38) to the wire 30 at station A are reversed, as are the positions of the end forming cutters. The portions 36 and 3T'are formed at stations B or C, or at both,int o' portions 40 and 4| compleinen'tary to'portions 20 and 2 I. At station D the free endsfof 'the'c'urve'd portions 40 of cross pieces 36 and 31 are cut or otherwise formed to a verticalwedge shape 42, and a vertical V- shaped recess 43, respectively. At station E the free ends of portions 4| are both formed with a horizontal V-shaped recess 45, see Fig. '7.

Sections, including the desired number of prongs 20 and 40;ma'y be cut from wires l0 and 30 and will each form half of a prong assembly which may be'combine'd as shown in Fig. 9, to

make a omplete ring assembly. The' wedge shapedend 25 nf'gages 'l'n'the V-shaped recesses aa-as bes't snowh-m mes. '1 1= and I2, toworm'the hinge of a toggle. The binder mechanism is completed by seating the cut-off sections of wires l and 30 in the hook shaped side of a spring plate 5| as shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. The spring plate is provided with openings 52 through which the prongs extend. The spring plate holds the formed ends of the portions 2| and ll in hinged relation but yields sufiiciently to permit the toggle to be forced past its center as the prongs are moved from the closed position of Fig. 11 to the open position of Fig. 12.

The prong assemblies may be. made in long lengths and binder mechanisms having anyv desired number of prongs may be formed by cutting an appropriate length 'from each of the wires and 30 and combining them as de: scribed.

Preferably the operations on the two wires l0 and 39 are carried out simultaneously, the wires being advanced in parallel relation through the forming machines, but the wires could, of course, be treated separately.

It is sometimes desirable to have a prong opening device at one end of the completed mechanism, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. It consists of two bent ends, 9 and 49 of the wires l8 and 30. These bent up ends are crossed as shown. By pressing these as finger pieces in the direction of the arrows, the prongs are easily opened.

Such opening device is preferably provided for in my method in the following way. After the wires l9 and 39 have been supplied, during successive periods of rest at stations A and A with the desired number of cross members to form the desired number of prongs for a given size of binder the wires may be fed forward without receiving cross wires for a length, indicated at a in Fig. 8, sufl'icient to furnish a bare length of wire fro-m which the handles 9 and 49 may be formed, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. After the long wires have been out off rearwardly of the formed set of prongs, as at a cutting station F, the bare portions are shaped as shown in Fig. 8. The hooked ends are here positioned so as not to engage, to facilitate assembly of the many structures in plate 5L After the assembly with the spring plate has been made, the finger piece 49 is bent toward piece 9 to bring them into engagement as shown in Fig. 10.

It will be understood that if desired, the cut a F may be so timed as to sever the wires 19 and 39 adjacent the last prongs of the preceding ring assemblies so that the bare portions from which the handlesare to be formed project from the forward end of the assemblies still being worked on instead of extending rearwardly from the finished assemblies as shown.

Considering the completed assembly Fig. 10, it will be seen that the upper ends of the prongs do not meet in the same longitudinal and vertical plane. The meeting points are staggered with the prongs of alternate rings meeting in the same planes. This is an advantage in the easier threading of the prongs of the hole punched loose leaf sheets, particularly when the rings are closely spaced. The sheet first threads every other prong in every other hole, and this holds it in position to engage the remaining prongs. When all of the ring prongs need to engage all the holes at one time, the proper alignment is sometimes difiicult to get, particularly when there are many rings and many holes to be engaged. The desired staggering of the ends in two, or even more, vertical and horizontal planes is easily accomplished in the use of my present methodsince the desired results are obtained by merely adjusting the points at which the cross portions [6, IT, 36, and 31 are cut from the cross feed wires.

As previously described the mating ends of the ring prongs are cut into complementary fitting interengaging V-form. It is desirable to make these forming cuts starting from underneath and cutting outwardly. This will avoid even the smallest burr being left on the lower edges of the cuts. Thus when the sheets are turned on the rings in the finished structure, they will pass smoothly over the under side of the rings. My

present method also facilitates the inclusion of this refinement since ample space can be provided at the sides of the traveling wires l 9 and 30 I for the necessary cutting instrumentalities.

In Fig. 13 is shown a modified arrangement which indicates how, if desired, the prong assemblies to form a complete ring assembly may be cut from the same long wire, as It for example. The cross pieces are fed, welded in place and formed into prongs as previously described and shown in relation to wire It in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive with the following exception. Instead of shaping the free ends of the toggle parts 2! to wedge form as shown at 25 the said members are alternately shaped to wedge and V-recess form as shown at 25 and 25 respectively in Fig. 13. By this arrangement two sections cut from the assembly on wire l0 may be matched together to form a complete ring assembly, by seating the alternate wedge ends 25 of one section in the alternate V-recesses 25' of the other to form the toggle connections. This has the advantage that only one forming assembly is needed. When this arrangement is used and it is desired to form operating handles, the handles for the mating sections are formed adjacent each other as shown in Fig, 13. The length of wire In left bare is sufficient to form two handles 59 and GI. The cut is made centrally of the bare section as at 62 and the handles bent outwardly. The ends 63 may be swaged or otherwise formed toa, finished shape. For reasons previously described one of the handles as BI is not bent to final position until the assembly in spring plate 5| is made. Since the handles for the two sections are made adjacent each other it will be understood that the out, at the other ends of the sections will be made between adjacent rings without provision for handles at that end unless handles at both ends are desired.

It will be apparent that my method provides a very large degree of flexibility in the arrangement of the feeding cutting and shaping instrumentalities used for forming the parts of the binder mechanism. While the method lends itself to the design of compact specialized machines for carrying it out, it may also be carried out by available general purpose cutters and shapers placed at variously arranged stations along and around the path of the wires 19 and). Since the free ends of toggle portions 2! and 4! are free for forming operations from substantially all angles and without limitation as tospace, ex-

toggle hinge may be used on the practice of this method. The simple V connection shown has the advantage of not requiring any great precision in the assembly of the halves with each other or of both halves with plate 5|.

WhatIclaim is: i 1. The method of-makingmulti-prong frame assemblies for loose leaf binder mechanisms which comprises, welding a series of spaced, relatively short cross wires to a long wire at right angles thereto, said cross wires having portions extending from opposite sides of the long wire, the portions extending from one side being relatively shorter and of equal length and projecting sufiiciently to provide toggle arms for the binder mechanism, bending the relatively longer extensions from the opposite side to substantially arcuate shape to form the paper receiving prongs of the binder mechanism, and shaping the ends of the toggle arm extensions to form one member of a toggle joint.

2. The method of making multi-prong assemblies for loose leaf binder mechanisms which com prises, welding a series of spaced, relatively short cross wires to a long wire at right angles thereto, said cross wires extending a greater distance from one side of the long wire than from the other, the short extensions being of equal length and positioned on the same side of the long wire, bending the long extensions to substantially arcuate shape to form the paper receiving prongs of the binder mechanism, and shaping the free ends of the prongs for interengagement with its mating prong in the binder mechanism, and shaping the ends of the short extensions to form one member of a toggle joint.

3. The method of making multi-prong assemblies for loose leaf binder mechanism which com-s prises, advancing a long wire intermittently, positioning relatively short spaced cross wires on the long wire, during periods of rest of the latter, at right angles thereto and with their end portions extending at each side of the long wire, the extension of said cross wires at one side of the long wire being greater at one side than at the other, the short extensions being of equal length and positioned on the same side of the lon wire, securing the cross wires to the long wireas by welding at their intersections, and at subsequent periods of rest of the long wire, bending the long extensions of the cross wires to substantially arcua ate shape to form the paper receiving prongs of w the binder mechanism, and shaping the ends of the short extensions to form one member of a toggle joint.

4. The method of making multi-prong assemblies for loose leaf binder mechanisms which comprises, feeding a long wire intermittently, during periods of rest of the long wire feeding wires crosswise of the long wire at right angles thereto, welding the cross wires to the long wire at their intersections, and severing the cross wires to leave portions extending from opposite sides of the long wire, the extension at one side of the long wire being uniform and of a length to form a toggle arm for the binder mechanism, at subsequent periods of rest of the long wire bending those portions of the cross wires opposite the said toggle extensions into substantially arcuate shape to form paper receiving prongs of the binder mechanism, and during subsequent periods of rest of the long wire shaping the ends of said prongs for interengagement with other binder prongs and shaping the ends of the toggle projections to form one member of a toggle joint.

5. The method of making multi-prong assemblies for loose leaf binder mechanisms which comprises, arranging a pair of long wires in parallel spaced relation, advancing said wires intermittently, during periods of rest of the long wires feeding one or more wires from opposite sides of the pair of long wires of the adjacent long wire, the free ends of the cross wires on one long wire being spaced from the free ends of the cross wires on the other long wire, welding the cross wires to their respective long wires and severing the cross wires to leave portions extending outwardly from the long wires, at subsequent periods of rest of the long wires bending the outwardly extending portions of the cross wires into substantially arcuate shape to form paper receiving prongs of the binder mechanism, during subsequent periods of rest of the long wires shaping the ends of the inwardly extending portions of the cross wires on each long wire to form toggle joint connections with the ends of the inwardly extending portions of the cross wires on the other long wire, and finally cutting sections from the long wires, when the cross wires have been so formed into prong and toggle members, whereby the sections severed from the two long wires will combine to provide the multi-prong members of a loose leaf 9 I binder mechanism.

6. The method of making multi-prong assemblies for loose leaf binder mechanisms which comprises arranging a pair of long wires in parallel spaced relation, advancing said wires intermittently, during periods of rest of the long wires feeding one or more wires from opposite sides of the pair of long wires crosswise of the adjacent long wire, the free ends of the cross wires on one long wire being spaced from the free ends of the cross wires on the other long wire, welding the cross wires to their respective long wires and severing the cross wires to leave portions extending outwardly from the long wires, at subsequent periods of rest of the long wires bending the outwardly extending portions of the cross wires into substantially arcuate shape to form paper receiving prongs of the binder mechanism, during subsequent periods of rest of the long wires shaping the ends of the so formed prongs on each long wire for interengagement with the ends of the prongs on the other long wire and shaping the ends of the inwardly extending portions of the cross wires on each long wire to form toggle joint connections with the ends of the inwardly extending portions of the cross wires on the other long wire, and finally cutting sections from wires, when the cross wires have been so formed into prong and toggle members, whereby the sections severed from the two long wires will combine to provide the multi-prong members of a loose leaf binder mechanism.

JOHN SCHADE. 

